


That Day

by Angelscythe



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lover, F/M, Forbidden Love, Gen, M/M, Mutual Pining, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, Vampire Hubert von Vestra, another vampire AU, or is it Rivals to Friends to Lover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-01-31 19:35:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21245312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angelscythe/pseuds/Angelscythe
Summary: That Day, Azélie Von Aegir just wanted her dear son to have friends.That Day, Hubert Von Vestra just wanted to protect the one he cared for.That Day, everything changed for them...That Day, almost nine years later, everything  will change again when Ferdinand discover Hubert is a Vampire...
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg & Hubert von Vestra, Ferdinand von Aegir & Sylvain Jose Gautier, Ferdinand von Aegir/Hubert von Vestra
Comments: 8
Kudos: 58





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!!
> 
> Thank you for being here!! HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! Have fun but be careful and stay hydrated!!!
> 
> (Also, i've dislexia and english isn't my first language so sorry for the mistakes)
> 
> EDIT: I really love how the last chapter end so I decided to have 'only' 8 chapters for now but it may changes if I got ideas or something about it!!!

“I’m worrying for Ferdinand…”

“Excuse me?”

Duke Aegir lifted his head from the papers he was working on. He had the realm in his hands since a few months and, even though he was ruling it with six other people, he had a lot of things to do. For example, changing the taxes and the rules so he could make them work more, have more money, live in the opulence he always dreamed of…

As he looked toward his wife, a beautiful lady with abundant red mane floating around her, he could only see their first child on an armchair, looking his hands as he moved slightly his feet. They had five children and, except the last one who was a few months old, they were all playing in their new domain. The castle was way bigger than her previous house and the garden was so big, they all played for hours, often tutored by the numerous servants here.

But Ferdinand?

He was always by his mother. Wherever she was going… Whatever she was doing… it has always been like that but since they have move here, it was even worse. Duke kept saying Ferdinand was his heir and needed to be able to handle it. He needed to form him and make a man from him… But his son was just whining. Of course his darling was worrying for Ferdinand and somewhat, he was too. How could he put _that_ at the reins of the Realm? He had to teach him more or the Aegir’s name and fame will die. Or maybe… he can make him replace by his third child, the twin boy…

“Yes, I’m worrying for him too, Azélie,” he said, looking the child.

She seemed relieved. She approached her son and caressed his long hairs she had tied in a ponytail with a pink ribbon.

“What do you think we should do?”

Ferdinand looked up to his mother and held out his arms.

“Why don’t you bring him in the garden to play with others children? If it’s you, he will. Right, child?” Duke asked as he got up.

Ferdinand reddened and nodded slightly. His arms were still hold to his mother and she lifted him from the armchair. Placing a hand in his back, she rocked him softly and kissed his forehead with tenderness.

She didn’t kiss her husband, thought he would have loved it, and she left the room then the part of the Castle that was allowed to them. Her others children were playing somewhere, she didn’t know where but she was trusting the servants, but for her little Ferdinand, so sweet and with the heart on the hand, she chose the garden. As she walked down the white stairs, she put him on the floor. But he still grabbed her hand and held it tightly.

Azélie smiled and caressed his hairs with tenderness.

“You should find someone with who you want to play and go ask them?”

“Mother, I… I don’t feel like I belong here,” he muttered.

“Of course you’re belonging here,” she said, crouching to press a kiss on his forehead. “You’re Ferdinand Von Aegir.” She caressed his cheek. “You belong here more than anyone else,” she swore.

He smiled slightly.

He wanted to make her happy. So he looked around and his eyes were attracted by a boy who held an umbrella above his head and a young girl’s head. She seemed to be Ferdinand’s age so… maybe it was the kind of people his mother wanted him to befriend?

He moved slightly away from her and walked slowly toward the two kids.

“H… Hello,” he said.

The girl turned her head toward him and had a jump before making a horrible face, moving away and sliding being the other kid. He was very taller and also older. Quite frightening.

“I’m sorry,” Ferdinand said as he moved slightly forward.

“No!” the girl protested.

“I’m sorry,” Ferdinand repeated. “My mother…”

“What do you want?!” the boy groaned, catching him by his hair.

“IIIIIIIIK!!!”

“FERDINAND!!!”

Azélie ran toward them.

“Don’t approach us, miserable or it will be the last thing you will do!”

He showed him backward with such violence, Ferdinand fell. His hairs flew in the air, the ribbon staying in the boy’s hand. When the back of the kid hit the ground, he started to cry. A window opened loudly as Azélie took her dear son in her arms.

“Ferdinand!”

“What are you doing?!” the voice of the Duke roared.

He was certainly keeping an eye on his son from his office.

“Guards!”

“HUBERT!” a lady’s voice echoed in the garden that was so peaceful just before.

Blood stained the colorful grass.

**Nine years later**

Why it must be him?

Their professor was really cruel when they wanted it, if not, why would he be the one who had to go check on Hubert?

Edelgard had offered herself to do it but their teacher thought it was better to be him. Maybe because they knew they hated each other? They were always ready to have a quarrel and each time they looked at each other, they seemed to want to rip the other’s throat open. Edelgard would have been happy to go see what was wrong with Hubert… it was strange enough for him not to be next to her. He was her shadow and honestly, she felt better when he was there…

“Professor,” she said. “I’m sorry to insist but couldn’t I…”

“Ferdinand will see why Hubert isn’t with us.”

“But if Ferdinand misses the lesson, I’m afraid he…”

“Excuse me, Edelgard. Do you mean you think you can skip a lesson, or a part, and be able to follow the normal cursus anyway but I wouldn’t?” Ferdinand asked.

“No, I…”

“I volunteer, teacher!” he said, getting up.

“You can’t volunteer, you have been chosen,” Dorothea replied with an elegant smirk.

Ferdinand glanced at her and walked toward the door.

“Professor,” the heir of the Empire begged.

But Byleth had already taken their decision. And Ferdinand just walked out their class room.

“Don’t enter his room, Ferdinand!”

As he walked toward the room, he thought Edelgard seemed to know what was wrong with Hubert. Which wasn’t surprising. Hubert must be sick or something, turning him in a deplorable state. This was the only explanation.

Ferdinand wouldn’t mock him for that.

Keep it in his memories and uses it against him as the first occasion? Maybe. But mock him and not offer him assistance? He was Ferdinand Von Aegir. He would help everyone. Even those who hated him with so much verve…

He passed through Edelgard room and knocked at Hubert’s. The young man had done everything to have this room, forcing him to change. He didn’t hesitate to threaten him because Edelgard was his everything and each time he passed in front of those rooms, he couldn’t do anything else but thinking about that…

He frowned when he realized he had no reply.

He knocked again.

Still nothing.

The wind replied to him, yes, but he wasn’t ready to have a discussion with the wind.

He knocked once again. “Hubert? Are you inside?” he wondered.

Ferdinand pushed open the door and was welcomed by the darkness. A pure blackness that was soaking around and, as he stepped inside and the door closed behind him, gave him a creepy feeling. He could hear the wind but there was nothing. Not even a breath…

“Hubert? The professor sent me check on you? We were worrying for you. They were worrying for you…”

He turned on himself, the sound of his heart echoing in his ears. In the room, it seemed.

“Edelgard offered to come but…”

“Her Majesty?”

Ferdinand jumped and swirled on himself, to be toward the voice that came from behind him. Fire appeared suddenly and lighten Hubert’s face, drawing his features with red. And it was… absolutely frightening.

“Yes. You look… pale as a corpse…” Ferdinand whispered. “So you must feel okay?” he smiled.

“Very funny, Ferdinand. As you see, I’m doing very alright so, please, move away and go back to your lesson.”

“Unless you’re sick, you have to come,” Ferdinand replied.

“I am.”

“You are not.” Ferdinand let a delicate sigh out of his lips and walked toward the curtains. “Maybe you’re a bit depressed but it’s because you’re in such a dark room. Let me arrange that and you will be as lovely as me!”

He grabbed the curtains and, at the exact moment, felt a hand on his throat.

“Don’t touch those curtains…”

“Why?” Ferdinand’s fingers were still around it. “Why are you here instead of being with Edelgard if you’re not really sick?”

“I am sick. And she knows it.”

“Hubert…” Ferdinand gulped. “I can feel you approaching…” He closed his eyes. “I feel your breath on my neck.”

“I underestimated you…”

Ferdinand could sense Hubert was smirking as he said those words.

“Step aside,” he said with a cold tone.

His hands were shaking on the curtains but he was still holding them…

“Or what? You’re trembling like a leave in a pale autumn’s day.”

Ferdinand opened slightly the curtains. Hubert groaned and moved away. Ferdinand turned toward him, still holding his weapon within his hands. Who thought curtains could be a weapon…

“I always thought you were one but I thought it was just my mind being mad… Just a child being afraid. But I know what you are…”

“You do? Really?” Hubert said, approaching him. “So say it. Out loud.”

“Vampire.”

“Are you afraid?” Hubert smirked, talking as a cat playing with an innocent prey.

Ferdinand opened his lips and saw the man enter in the area bathed by the Sun. Sun that touched him and nothing happened.

“No,” he let out.

“Happy to be wrong, again?” Hubert smirked. He leaned over him and opened the curtains widely, Sun lightening the whole room. “Now, disappear from my view immediately.”

He swirled on his heels, making disappear the flames in his hand, and walked away, going toward his desk. Ferdinand couldn’t move away.

“When we were kids, you always had an umbrella above your head. I thought it was for Edelgard. She was always so weak… But with time, I wondered if it was for you…”

“I told you to disappear!” Hubert roared. “Can’t you accept your defeat?!”

Ferdinand closed the curtains.

“I said ‘no’. I’m not afraid of you,” he said.

He couldn’t see anything.

He was afraid.

“Can you stop lying?”

“I’m not lying.”

But he wasn’t afraid of him…

He always wished he could hate Hubert as much as Hubert hated him. But he couldn’t…

He approached him and closed his eyes.

“You can drink my blood if you wan…”

A moan cut Ferdinand’s sentence as was suddenly shoved against the desk. He felt Hubert’s breath against his throat and closed his eyes.

Maybe he was a little afraid.

He was about to die, isn’t it?

History talked about monsters that would let you bloodless. But at least, he would protect innocent? At least… Hubert would have eaten and since he hated him he wouldn’t be sorry to have killed someone… Thought Ferdinand doubted Hubert could be sorry of this…

Hubert moved away.

“I told you to run away!”

Ferdinand was suddenly lost. What kind of game Hubert was playing…

“Why can you be bathed by the Sun?”

“This is your entire fault!”

“You mean I’m delightful like a Sun and you get used to it?” Ferdinand smiled.

His back hit again the desk. He felt the young man pressing his hands against his shoulders.

“I mean I could rip open your throat and you would die in suffer,” he whispered at his ear. “I would throw away your body and no one would wonder where the annoying Ferdinand had disappeared.”

“You shouldn’t waste food.”

Ferdinand moved his neck to accompany his words.

Hubert said, moved away, pressing his hand over his nose. He had to spit the truth. It was the only way to force this nuisance to move away…

“Why are you trying to die?! Aren’t you Ferdinand Von Aegir!”

“I am. If I get the chance, I will rule after my father and that day, for the sake of Edelgard, you will kill me.” Ferdinand got up and walked toward him. “Do it if you really want to kill anyone hurting her.”

“I already killed,” he roared.

“Do it again.”

Ferdinand walked toward him and it was strange… Why Hubert kept moving away?

“This is all your fault, Ferdinand Von Aegir. Your fault and your family’s fault. And I see you are not better than your dear father. You’re playing with what you ignore! I could rip off your throat, let you die like the cockroach you are. But you’re offering your blood as if it was normal. Unless it’s poisoned, which wouldn’t surprise me.”

“We both know you would resist to every poison.”

Ferdinand stopped as Hubert was almost against the wall. It was the first time Hubert seemed to be the one who were afraid… Usually, it was him who hid himself into the folds of his mother’s skirts. It changed lately but he wasn’t that confident around him.

“What I have done to you?”

“You perfectly know it, Ferdinand Von Aegir… Your father ruined Lady Edelgard’s life and you ruined mine. That day where you approached us. That day your horrible view frightened Lady Edelgard because you look so much like your filthy father. That day you cried because you fall.”

Ferdinand looked down.

He cried a lot when he was young…

He wanted to say that it was nine years earlier but that didn’t change that his father had ordered adults to attack Hubert and a few seconds after, the teenager he was, he had been bathing in his own blood. He could remember the shriek of the countess Vestra and…

Everything was blank.

“You survived because you were a Vampire…”

“I’m not a Vampire!” Hubert pushed him away. “Yet. My mother is a Vampire. And she saved my life as she gave me her blood. Tales and Legends are Tales and Legends, Ferdinand Von Aegir! You don’t turn a Vampire because you have been bite by one. If not, there would be so many Vampires everywhere. Those who have been bit need to taste blood and the change will occur… You are the true Monster here,” he added with bitterness.

“I didn’t know.”

“You never know!”

“You want to drink blood, today?”

Hubert let out a cold laugh.

Today?

He wanted to drink blood every day. But lately, yes, it became harder. A Vampire didn’t want to drink any blood they encountered. Some blood looked like old well’s rain and other like the most delicate of wine. And when you encountered this wine, you always wished you could have some.

Hubert had encountered this wine…

But desire was desire and when you didn’t understand it fully, it was easier to ignore it. But now…

Now, the smell of Ferdinand was dancing around him, caressing his skin and calling his name.

He wanted to dig his teeth in that soft flesh…

He wanted…

“Isn’t there a way for you to stop having that hunger of blood?”

“It’s too late for me. It exists a way for people having been bite by a Vampire to calm their hunger…”

“Maybe it’s not too late. We are in the Church of Seiros and so…”

“The only way not to suffer the hunger of the Vampire is if the one who suffer the bite accept to become the pantry of the Vampire. It his said most of them kill themselves, though… because they are disgusted of what they have done.” Hubert let out a cold laugh. “Lady Edelgard offered to become my pantry… She’s so pure.”

“You refused…”

“She’s so pure. I wouldn’t dare touch her and make her suffer that way…”

“But why would she offer it to you. You want to become a Vampire?”

“If I were a Vampire, I could protect her…”

He would have already let himself fell in this fate, to protect her for the eternity, if he wasn’t afraid to kill the rare one he loved. If he wasn’t afraid he would touch Edelgard one day.

“They are faster, stronger, my magic would become more powerful…” Hubert let out a cold laugh. “But you can’t understand that, of course.”

“If you became a Vampire, the Sun…”

“My mother said I passed nine years as a half-Vampire, being bathed by the Sun. I would support it as long as I don’t stay too much under its light, avoid the Zenith and have enough blood within me.”

“If she’s wrong?”

“My mother isn’t wrong,” Hubert replied coldly.

Ferdinand let out a light laugh came out of his lips. He knew that way to think. Hubert was really devoted to those he loved… He wished he could be one of them. He was jealous of Edelgard… Hubert would turn into a Monster just for her. She was his life, she would be his death…

“And the hunger?”

“I could kill the whole academy to calm my hunger.”

“And with a pantry, it’s not the same. Why a wolf would go in every barn to devour the sheep when he can just come on the same corpse and eat as much as he wants… isn’t it?”

Hubert twitched and looked him.

He could see his expression, he could see his face and the slight fear in the chestnut eyes but Ferdinand couldn’t see him.

He approached him, listening to the melody of the heartbeat… The most beautiful song he never heard in his whole life…

“What mad game are you playing again?”

“It’s my fault. I know you and Edelgard have resentment against my father because he’s ruling the Empire and I can’t change that. But for you, it’s really my fault. I wanted to…” Ferdinand closed his eyes. He felt ridicule to explain he _just_ wished to become their friends… “You become a Vampire, a half-Vampire, because of me and today you see an opportunity as a Vampire… If you desire to protect her, Ferdinand Von Aegir always pays his debts. I accept to become your pantry.”

Hubert’s heart skipped a beat and his hunger roared.

Tasting this blood, hearing the heartbeat sing for him…

It was a present from Hell itself. How to refuse?

“But!”

Of course…

Hubert stepped backward.

“I want to be sure you won’t suffer from it. You won’t lost your feelings or have others disagreement? If the Sun burns you, you will take your precautions?”

“I won’t change.”

“I will be at your service every time you wish drinking. My debt is eternal.”

“At the second I will dig my fangs in you, you won’t have the luxury to walk back.”

“I won’t. How do you want it to be done?” Ferdinand asked.

Hubert lifted him from the floor and, a not even two seconds after, his back sunk in the mattress of the room. Ferdinand turned his head on the side and closed his eyes. But nothing happened… Mechanically, he opened his eyes again but he couldn’t see anything. Hubert smirked and moved his hand, making appear an orb of fire that make dance soft light over them.

“You prefer the other side?” Ferdinand asked.

“Any side is fine for me. You will be the one bitten days after days,” he reminded to him.

“This one, then,” Ferdinand replied.

Hubert stared him, which his future victim, pantry, couldn’t notice because he had already closed his eyes…

“That day, you had very long hairs,” he said, brushing one orange lock.

“Yes. I wanted to look like my mother. But I cut them that day…”

“Longs hairs looked good on you,” Hubert said.

He leaned in and licked his throat. He felt Ferdinand shiver. He could have brushed his hand, joined his with this one but it was ridicule. He just let the properties of his special saliva work so he wouldn’t rip open Ferdinand’s throat…

As he licked, he could feel the pulse under and every inch of his body was begging him to bit already and let it savor the forbidden fruit he always craved for…

“It’s your last chance, Ferdinand Von Aegir.”

“I told you. I always pay my debts.”

Pay his debts…

Of course. Ferdinand hated him since that day. He had just that stupid Pride… He didn’t want anything more than feeling like he was perfect. He would ask that Legends said he gave his soul to a Vampire because he was so good. And Hubert would hate every of those legends…

He sunk his teeth in the throat and heard a moan of pain but the first drop fall on his tongue. Unique and genuine. Yet a delight… It was everything he hoped when he smelt Ferdinand’s perfume discreetly, when he listened to the sound of his heartbeat.

The blood slid in his mouth and he closed his eyes as the warm nectar was spreading within him.

Ferdinand let out another moan and a light hiccup made him move slightly. He opened his eyes and watched Hubert as he was drinking, leaning over him. His heart was beating so fast as he saw Hubert looking so happy… Of course he was, he was taking his revenge over his father. Hubert should be delighted to present himself to the Duke as the one who had dirtied his precious son. He should be happy to have won. If only he knew how much Ferdinand wanted to give himself to him.

He moved his hand, his fingers twitching at a few inches of his dark hairs. He wanted to caress them but he couldn’t end the gesture.

It was too strange…

He let his hand fall on the mattress as he felt the life running out his veins to go on Hubert’s. And another hiccup seized him when he saw Hubert’s hands changing, his nails becoming sharper. The moan coming out from his lips held more fear.

Hubert moved away his lips from him and looked him. Ferdinand moved his fingers toward his and took his hand to show him the dark claws.

“That’s normal,” Hubert said. “This is normal too.”

He took Ferdinand’s hand to press it against his chest. Ferdinand couldn’t feel the movement of a beating heart. And as he looked Hubert’s eyes, they had a strange iridescent color…

“You need to drink my blood, now. Our blood.”

Ferdinand nodded and opened his lips. Hubert was delighted and angry at the same time. Seeing him so willing was a real present but, on the other hand, it was just a debt… He could have cheat, kiss him, make him taste their blood like that but he just ripped open his wrist and brought it to Ferdinand’s mouth.

The taste sliding in his throat brought another little hiccup to Ferdinand but he moved his hand and grabbed the wrist to press it against his lips, drinking the blood and accepting the role that was his now. Hubert had a shiver. Maybe he was just paying his debt but he was doing it so well…

He moved and bit his throat again. Ferdinand reacted to the pain but let him do. Hubert tasted his blood again. It seemed to be more delightful again. The most beautiful liquid that could exist. He aspired the blood, knowing Ferdinand was doing the same and that their bonds couldn’t be broken.

He had dreamed of this.

How could it only happen today? How could he have Ferdinand just within his reach, becoming his? Forever and even after? He wanted to keep this moment in his memories. Until the day he would die for Edelgard. But just a few seconds… he was dying for Ferdinand.


	2. Chapter 01 : Step forward

“I knew Ferdie wasn’t very… skilled when it comes to anything involving being likeable but… didn’t he take a lot of time?”

As Dorothea said those words, Edelgard felt annoyed. Hubert was her vassal but also her dearest friend. She was here for him when he needed it and she knew what feelings he held for Ferdinand… especially because Hubert felt like a Monster to find lovely the son of the man who hurt so much his Majesty… and then interesting… and he hated to look that way the one Edelgard glanced at with fear… and when Edelgard was able to see the difference between Ferdinand and his father, it was already too late. Hubert couldn’t nourish anything pure toward Ferdinand because there was too much hate between them.

But she knew his feelings.

She knew he was a Vampire, or pretty much.

She knew he wanted to dig his fangs in his throat… And if he yield to it, if he lost the one he loved because his only way to save him was to drink the entirety of his blood and so kill him… Hubert would be so sad. She often found him so sad already. Sometimes, often, she worried for him…

She didn’t want him to be hurt…

“Professor?” she called, raising her hand.

“Yes?”

“I’m worrying for Hubert and Ferdinand. Can I go see why they’re taking so long time.”

“Maybe they’re running away from the class?” Caspar offered, ink on his fingers. But only because he was tracing cat’s whiskers on Linhardt’s face who was sleeping.

“Hubert?” Edelgard said.

“Ferdinand?” Petra continued.

“Maybe they’re killing each other…” a voice said coming from under the table.

“Please,” Edelgard said as she pressed her hands on the desk.

“Very well. But if they are both alive, try to be back soon. I’d like not to have every students of my class running in the Monastery instead of being in my class.”

“Yes, Professor,” she said.

She got up, bowed, and left the room. She quickly walked toward Hubert’s room, hoping…

If she found him crying…

Please.

Not that.

Ferdinand passed his hand along his throat, he looked the blood gleaming on his fingers. He was still laying on the mattress of Hubert and his heart was beating so fast, breathing with a slight difficulty.

Hubert wasn’t above him anymore but on the side, looking him in silence.

“I don’t feel very different. Is this normal?”

“I suppose,” Hubert replied.

He took Ferdinand’s hand and licked his fingertips, gathering the last drops of blood.

“Feel free to warn me if something peculiar happens to you. The walking pantry are still a mysteries for us.”

“Why?” Ferdinand wondered, a bit dizzy.

“They are really rare. Usually, Vampires only choose someone really special to them. Not someone who is simply in debt.”

Ferdinand’s heart skipped a beat.

His father always said he was naïve and maybe it was right but he was able to understand Hubert was spitting venom at him. Not that it was surprising. He had what he wanted, after all.

Ferdinand got up from the bed and turned toward Hubert.

“Your pantry is leaving. Don’t approach too much the Sun if you’re not sure you will survive.” He frowned. “Or maybe do it,” he groaned.

He swirled on his heels and walked toward the door.

Hubert knew why he was angry. He couldn’t hold it against him. He couldn’t neither get up, run after him and say to him how he wished to hold his hand if it was allowed to him. How much he was mattering for him…

His heart as stopped to beat for him but he couldn’t hand it to him and let him destroy it if he wished. Of course Ferdinand would. He hated him…

He got up, thought, and walked toward his desk, once again…

In the corridor, Ferdinand was arranging his clothes, making sure the muffler was still pure and making him look nice. As he was walking, he saw Edelgard coming toward him.

“Ferdinand!” she said with a relieve tone.

“Lady Edelgard,” he said, stopping. “Did you think you would be better than me when it comes to be sure someone is doing okay?”

“No, of course not. I was worrying for you. Are you alright?”

She noticed the two dark spots on his throat.

“Ferdi…”

“I am very well, Lady Edelgard. Thank you for caring.” His eyes suddenly become darker, more serious. Extremely motivated! “Don’t forget the next time we will compete, I will win!”

He smiled widely to her before continuing to walk toward the end of the dormitory and the door leading him to the path of their class.

“Try not to waste too many time, the teacher is waiting for us.”

“You…” she let out with a sigh as she saw him vanishing.

Quickly, she walked to Hubert’s room, knocking and entering inside. She saw him put something in his back and didn’t twitch at it.

“Hubert!”

“Lady Edelgard?” he said, leaning in front of her.

She walked toward him. “I just saw Ferdinand. I saw his neck. You…”

She held out her hand, pressing it softly against his cheek. His skin was colder. And she couldn’t feel the heartbeat under his bony cheek…

“I am completely a Vampire, and my only wish is to give my strength to you.”

“Hubert! It is madness!! I know it was your dear dream but I thought we agreed it would be non-sense. Ferdinand will become a Vampire too and if… when you will need to feed yourself again…”

Hubert shook his head. “I’m sorry to contradict you, my Majesty. Nothing like that will happen. Ferdinand accepted to become my Calyx.”

“Your… Oh Hubert!”

Edelgard hugged him.

Hubert’s eyes widened in surprise. He didn’t know what to do with his arms…

“I’m so glad,” she said. “You finally told him your feelings! I hoped so dearly he would share your feelings. Please, don’t forget me when you will be happy with him.”

“Lady Edelgard… he knows nothing of my feelings. He wanted to pay his debts and gave me his life as a payment…”

She let go on him and moved backward.

“A debt?”

“Because it was his fault if my mother had bitten me.”

Edelgard gulped slowly. She had nothing against Ferdinand, honestly. She hated his father but she didn’t mean any harm to him. And here, she respected him even more but she had also bitterness because Hubert was really important to her. And she knew he was suffering…

“He did this for me to protect you.”

She gave him the shadow of a smile.

“Why don’t you say to him what you feel?”

“We hate his father. We hate him. And he hates us.”

“You’re not completely correct,” she replied. “You love him…”

Hubert didn’t reply. He just slowly looked down, not replying to her.

Yes, he loved Ferdinand but he always had been unreachable. For so many different reasons… Being able to hold him in his arms and savor his marvelous blood would be everything he could have.

A few hours later, Ferdinand left the training field where he had worked his spear capacity, mostly, and his resistance while he fought. He was sweaty, of course. Which was gross and unworthy of him, Ferdinand Von Aegir… Then, he tidy up the training equipment and went to the room next to it. It has a few wide wooden tub filled with water… often cold. But it was enough to chase the sweat and change clothes. He took out said clothes, because they were so damp…

Leaning on the water, Ferdinand saw the marks on his neck. He moved his fingers and brushed them softly.

Hubert’s marks.

He was so delighted. He was so afraid… Hubert’s marks. Vampire’s marks! He didn’t realize everything when he offered his blood to him… Should he warn his parents? If he had to be the pantry of Hubert, he was supposed to be with him until the end of the time? Of Hubert’s life? Could he still eat garlic? He wasn’t very fond on garlic because it was giving a bad breath and it was unworthy of him. Could he still go to the church?

He was in a Monastery and was doing all right so… probably?

And Hubert… could he?

He should have asked more questions before condemning him…

He brushed again his marks and closed his eyes. He really needed to send a letter to his mother. Maybe he wouldn’t talk about the fact he was the pantry of a Vampire but he genuinely missed his mother and wanted to talk to her. He knew she wouldn’t reply before a moment but laying words for her was always pleasant.

As he washed his face, and sliding cold water on his neck to make the dry blood disappearing, he wondered… will Hubert come to eat often? Could he refuse some days? Did he want to refuse? He wanted to be with him. And if giving his blood was the only thing he could do to have his presence.

He was ridicule…

The day after, Ferdinand got up in a joyful mood, like often. He brought his letter to the bard that will bring them all over the territory of Fódlan, or even in wider areas, and then moved away in the Monastery. He still had a few minutes before the classes start and he could be useful, help a professor, tidy a room… anything that would be worthy of him!!! He even could train a little? But he would be too indecent for class…

He walked and, as he was outside, he held out his hand in the Sun.

For him, nothing had changed. It was already that!

Enjoying the Sun was a pleasure he was happy to still have. He wanted to lay on the herbs and let have it bath his skin. He also wanted to help in every occasion. He wanted to guard the noun of his family, maybe make it shine even more?

He always had been proud of his family but here, in the Monastery, people seemed to hate it. Some of them didn’t know everything, maybe it was the problem? But some knew the truth and hated his family even more. Was he the only one to love his family?

He would protect it!

He was Ferdinand Von Aegir!!

As he thought this, he kept walking under the Sun and… suddenly, he dashed. He opened the red umbrella he was carrying away and raised it above one head. Two heads, being almost knocked down by someone who was still walking, coming in the Sun. Someone who stopped suddenly and held out his arms so the one following him wouldn’t be disturbed.

“What are you doing?” a cold voice swirled in the air.

“Protecting you from the Sun?” Ferdinand replied. He leaned slightly. “You said you are not sure you could freely walk into it.”

Hubert snatched the umbrella out of Ferdinand’s hand, throwing it on the floor, still looking the others in the eyes and he walked fully in the Sun, having a cold smirk.

“You see? Now, please, stop being idiot, Ferdinand Von Aegir. I don’t want everybody to know what I am. Try to be discrete, this will be an interesting thing to explore for you,” he said.

Ferdinand opened his lips. They were slightly trembling. When he closed them, he was smiling.

“I see. My mistakes!”

He swirled on himself and walked to the umbrella, gathering it and closing it with an apparent nobility.

“What are you doing?” Edelgard said. “He’s trying to be nice. What are you doing when someone is nice to you?”

Hubert watched her in silence, as if the question itself was the most complicate mathematic problem…

“You say ‘thank you’,” she insisted with an encouraging smile.

“I…”

Edelgard looked at Ferdinand who crouched elegantly to grab his umbrella then got up to walk inside their class.

“Hubert, you love him, isn’t it?” she asked in a low voice before walking in the room too.

He followed her immediately. “Maybe I find him… attractive,” he said.

She sighed slowly. He told her about his feelings. Not as such but she wasn’t idiot and she knew he loved watching him, he loved his voice, his smile, listening to him discretely, he loved the sound of his heart, the smell of his blood and his skin. He noticed when Ferdinand cut his hairs or didn’t have the time to trim his eyebrows. He talked about him, sometimes, when they were planning the way they will overtake Duke Aegir. Two years ago, when she had offered him to be his pantry, his Calyx, he even joked about turning Ferdinand in his pantry-slave to take revenge of the Duke. But she knew him. She knew those words were tenderer than planned. And she knew why he hated that Ferdinand talked about a debt and only that for what he had done yesterday…

“Yes. _Maybe_.”

“Anyway, he hates me and we hate him,” Hubert said.

Edelgard sat on her desk. “We hate his father, mostly.” She grabbed her parchments and also her ink bottle. “I always thought that day, you were too harsh…”

“He had frightened you, he deserved what happened,” her Vassal replied, sitting next to her.

“If you say so,” she replied, though not convinced. “However, you don’t deserve this… And you should try to…”

“Make him pay?”

Edelgard sighed, pushing a lock of white hair out of her shoulder.

“Charm him.”

“I don’t think someone like him, caring only for his own name, would accept to be with a man… like me.”

“I suppose it would be different if he was caring for your name,” she smiled slightly.

He smirked back to her, installing his stuff on the desk.

“I’m sure you can charm him.”

“You have a lot of humor, Lady Edelgard. I knew you had all the qualities but you show a real quality for jokes.”

“I believe it,” she protested. “Go talk with him about his passions.”

Hubert stayed quiet, arranging the bottle of ink in the corner of the desk.

“You don’t know?” she asked.

“Except his family? I won’t talk about them unless he wishes to know the sixty-nine way to kill his father.”

Edelgard shook her head and glanced at Ferdinand who seemed pretty sad. You couldn’t really notice it because he kept smiling but… she was like him and the expression in his eyes couldn’t fool her. She pressed her hand on Hubert’s shoulder.

“Ask him his interests,” she pushed.

Hubert wanted to protest but he couldn’t refuse anything to his Lady. So he got up to go toward Ferdinand.

But at this moment, their teacher entered the room.

They stopped at a few steps from Hubert, who still was the only one standing in the class. Edelgard got up too.

“Greetings, professor!” she smiled.

Ferdinand jumped on his feet.

“What a pleasure to see you, professor!” he said, the umbrella taking the empty place next to him.

They were three already standing to welcome their teacher and if that wasn’t something normal for most of them, the others got up too. Well… almost all of them. Bernadetta got up but hide behind a big pillar and Linhardt was still sleeping on his desk.

“Thank you,” Byleth replied with a slight nod. “You can sit back,” they invited as they walked toward their desk.

Hubert glanced at Ferdinand.

Ferdinand glanced at Hubert.

For a second, their eyes locked.

They broke the contact at the same time and Hubert sat next to his Lady Edelgard. Which gave him a worry, and maybe sad, look.

It will be very difficult to help her Vassal… no, her friend to find happiness…


	3. Chapter 02: Slice of Night

The Monastery of Garreg Mach always got a curfew, especially for the students. It was the best to avoid accident or, since ladies and gentlemen were quite mixed in the different dormitories, a way to reassure them. And reassure the parents. The curfew was as the night fell, which meant it was earlier as the cold season was rolling on the lands and very late for the hot seasons.

As the Sun was setting, the guards started to check on the teenagers and young adult to know if they were going back to their room. Usually, it wasn’t that complicated because they were doing it by themselves but sometimes, you would find people trying to skip those rules. Couple? Those who wanted to read or train more… Those who wanted to eat more or who seek for ghost? Those wanting to court or just test the rules…

Ferdinand was none of them and he will certainly come back to his room very soon… Ingrid and Marianne had left the stables a few moments earlier already. He will leave too… He liked to take care of the horses but he couldn’t ignore the rules of the Monastery. He wouldn’t bear that such news came to his father… Though, taking care of them was easy not to let his mind wonder around. Because taking care of the horses was an art asking all his concentration and focus.

“Sir Duke Aegir?”

Ferdinand had a second of surprise as he swirled on his heel. But there was just one guard looking at him.

He was so used to hear people call his father that way… because his grandfather decided his son would be called ‘Duke’ as his title… He could remember, when he was younger, hear his mom calling him ‘Duke Duke’ and she was always smiling a little. Now she was only calling him ‘Duke’ and something seemed to have disappear within her…

But, yes, obviously, he was Sir Duke Aegir too for some people who didn’t know how they wanted to be called.

“Yes?” he smiled, coming toward the guard.

“It’s time, you should go back to your room,” the guard invited.

“Yes, of course, thank you for warning me! My apologies,” he said. “Do you have letter from my parents?”

“No, Sir Duke Aegir,” he replied. “We will bring it to you as soon as we have some,” he swore with a bow.

“Thank you very much!”

Ferdinand smiled widely and then turned to go back to his room. He changed himself and get ready to go to bed. He wanted to send another letter to his mother but it wasn’t useful to drown her under his love. But he couldn’t wait to see her again. It was the first time he was away from home since that long…

It was ridicule…

What his father would say?

What anybody would say?

He slid in bed, his head still filled with thoughts. Bad thoughts for most of them… He just wanted to chase them away. He rolled in his bed and pressed his fingers on his neck. He was Hubert’s pantry since three days and he just couldn’t believe nothing had changed. Hubert still hated him and except that day when he became his, he never came to see him. He had wanted to try but after the umbrella thing…

And he couldn’t come to see him and ask when he would drink his blood.

He was just there. He would just be useful for Hubert. And should be happy with that.

But he wasn’t happy with that…

He was used to smile all the time and act like everything was under control but Hubert… Hubert was destroying everything within him. Especially with his cold anger and hate against him…

As he was seized by darker and darker thoughts, Ferdinand just fell in the slumber. His dreams, at least were filled with a slight control? He couldn’t really control it but riding and helping those who needed his helps? That was what he wanted to do. He saw himself in the painting of Sreng his mother had always in the big mansion. She had told him so many story about that land…

On his horse, he was riding toward her, at this exact moment. He called her and… his horse suddenly became a Pegasus. People always told him that flying on Pegasus, or Falcon, the mix between Pegasus and Unicorn, wasn’t for men and so he didn’t understand why he was on them.

He would disappoint his father.

But it was a dream…

His desires?

As he thought this, he fell from the flying horse and fall. Fall. Fall…

He woke up suddenly in fear. He stayed laying on the mattress, trying to calm his mind and his breath too quick. But it was hard…

He sat in the bed and hugged himself…

Why that fear still rolled around him. This was so strange… He closed his eyes and breathed correctly, just like his mother made him do when he was young, trying to remember that he was Ferdinand Von Aegir and he feared nothing…

His heart was beating so fast…

And…

It was as if something was muttering in his ear. He blinked and gave himself to it. Following this thing, this voice?, or maybe his instinct, he got up from his bed and left his room before walking to Hubert’s room. He pushed open the door and moved forward, to the closed window.

He didn’t understand what was happening to him.

He opened it climbing on the sill and… noticed a bat against the wall. It was a bat like you never saw in the area, with big triangle ears and a nose looking like pigs’ one. More or less…

“Hello, you.”

The little creature was… shaking?

“You must be cold, poor thing,” Ferdinand said. “Come here.”

He passed on the other side of the window and cautiously lifted the bat to bring it to his heart. He moved away and climbed down the sill, caressing the fur of the animal with his fingertips. As his naked feet touched the cold wooden floor of Hubert’s room, he realized that this ‘little voice’ pushing him to come here had disappeared.

Was he stupid to hope Hubert could have cast a spell on him to force him to come here and ask him for blood? Would he be the most stupid of them since he had offered to feed him until the last moment and Hubert just had to ask? Politely if possible.

And where was Hubert now? Should he ask Edelgard or will it be enough to have a dead thread hanging above his head?

Ferdinand walked to the door and, after a last glance, he crossed the threshold to regain his own room. Against his heart, the little bat stopped to shiver.

“Cold season is coming, right?” Ferdinand whispered in a soft tone.

He closed the door of his room and walked toward his desk.

“I will prepare you a little bed and you can stay here until it’s warm enough for you to leave. What do you think?” he smiled.

He put the bat on the desk with cautious and then turned toward his cupboard to search after a handkerchief or maybe other fabric he could use to prepare a perfect nest for the bat.

“Charming offer but I’m afraid a ‘little bed’ won’t be enough for me.”

Ferdinand jumped of surprise when he heard Hubert’s voice. He turned toward the door, blinking.

“I’m here.”

The voice came from the other side, from his desk.

Ferdinand turned his face and gasped when he saw Hubert on his desk. Without the slightest cloth…

“Wh… What are you doing here?”

“You brought me here,” he said.

He got up and walked toward Ferdinand who walked backward. Hubert wished he could brush those messy orange hairs, being in such a lovely nest…

“Why are you naked?”

“I was a bat. Bats don’t wear clothes,” he said, still walking toward him.

Ferdinand’s back hit the wall and he gasped.

“Why were you a bat?”

“I’m a Vampire, Ferdinand,” Hubert said, leaning on him, his palm sliding on the wall.

“I know,” he replied, moving his neck on the side, showing the two marks.

They were darkening as they were slowly healing.

Hubert leaned more toward him. He could hear the heart going faster and his lips brushed the skin.

“What do you like to do in your spare time?”

Ferdinand’s eyes widened.

“Excuse me?”

“What do you like to do in your spare time? Training, I believe?”

“What… are you doing?”

“The conversation.”

“The conversation… You are naked and against me and you were about to bite me.”

“I know the facts.”

Hubert wondered if Edelgard was wrong. Could she be wrong? Lady Edelgard?!

Maybe Ferdinand just wanted him to bite him so he would be done with his debt and he could be alone again. If only he could tell him how he had loved being in his hands… They were so warm. His body was so warm… He wanted to feel that warm but he couldn’t do everything he craved. Touching his hand, brushing his hip, hug him and enjoy that feeling…

Maybe he just should bite him and forget about it?

“I like cleaning my armors and weapons, I also like reading about the art of tea and go in market to find some of them. Sometimes I just search beautiful tea set. It happens I try to do biscuits. I mean!! I often do exquisites cookies and biscuits going perfectly with the tea!! Very very very often!! Like… all the time!”

Hubert smiled.

“And you?” Ferdinand asked.

“Taking care of Edelgard.”

“And except that?”

“If I tell it to you, I will have to kill you.”

“It would be a shame, you wouldn’t be able to drink anymore.”

“So I will say nothing. For both our interests.”

“Very well.” Ferdinand pressed his hands against his pectorals, pushing him backward. “So… can you tell me what you like to read or you will kill me?”

Hubert stepped back and looked as Ferdinand walked to his bed.

“Hm… Dark stories. Tales. Those histories where there is an assassin and we have to guess who they are.”

Ferdinand grabbed the plaid on his bed and approached Hubert, passing it around his shoulders.

“Do you discover them?”

“It happens,” he replied. “Thank you.”

He closed the plaid around him. He should have offered to go grab clothes but he was afraid that this would break the magic, the thing being them. They were talking for once. Ferdinand was in shock and he had forgotten he hated him…

Perfect.

He had to find a subject of conversation. Be sure he still could bewitch him, keep him around just a little bit more…

Learn about him.

Follow Edelgard’s advices.

Of course they were good.

“Do you like to eat something?”

“Sweet. I think this go well with me,” Ferdinand smiled, his hands moving away from the plaid. “Are you still able to eat and drink?”

“I can, if I want to. However, it’s useless and a loss of time so…”

“What is the frequency you must follow?”

“I don’t know yet,” Hubert replied.

He wanted to drink on him every day. Every second…

He wanted to grab him now and bite. Drink. Savor this nectar…

He could have done it earlier, yes… but he couldn’t let that chance pass. He couldn’t be with him as he wished but… maybe they could be friend? He could keep him around him?

He wished it…

“Why were you a bat?” Ferdinand asked.

“I’m discovering and training my news powers.”

“That’s a smart move! But… you didn’t try to fly?”

Hubert didn’t reply, walking to the window. Ferdinand looked him, pushing backward a lock of hairs. With horror, he realized they were messy and he was far away from being decent enough to be in Hubert’s presence. From being in anyone’s presence…

He was Ferdinand Von Aegir and yet…

“Why did you come?”

“Something was calling me,” Ferdinand said. “It was as if I didn’t have the choice.”

“Excuse me?” Hubert said, turning toward him.

When he was on that sill, he was so worry. He had begged to have something helping him as much as he hated himself for trying this while being terribly afraid of heights…

And Ferdinand came?

As a savior?

He couldn’t tell him what he had felt on this sill and how he had felt when he came to pick him up…

“I was dreaming and suddenly it lost sense. I fell from a Pegasus and woke up in…” Ferdinand closed his eyes. “It was a Nightmare but I had the feeling I had to go in your room.”

“So you came.”

“Yes.”

“You have a kind heart,” Hubert said with a smirk.

“Yes. It’s what seems to bother you,” he replied.

The Vampire watched him, his head slightly siding on the side, still smirking.

Ferdinand held out his hand toward the umbrella on the desk. Hubert stayed silent, the blanket warming him softly.

“People can’t know I’m a Vampire. And I supposed you were mocking me. I wouldn’t be surprise.”

“I’m Ferdinand Von Aegir!”

“I know who you are!” he replied.

“I don’t mock people. I’m better than that,” he said. “You said you weren’t sure you will survive to the Sun. Very well, I won’t try to offer you my help anymore. I would be your walking blood bag and be delighted of this. Next time, I will let you on your sill, by the way,” he added with the coldest tone.

It was surprising coming from Ferdinand who was always delightful, charming and shinning brighter than Sun…

“Lady Edelgard said I can’t behave correctly with people.”

“She is right. Usually when someone is nice to you, you say ‘thank you’ and you can smile too. You are also invited to give it back. For example, when someone is really nice with me, I offer them cookies or invite them to take the tea. All depends of the person.”

“Thank you,” Hubert said.

“You’re welcome, Hubert. It’s a pleasure.”

And he smiled.

Hubert watched him then walked toward him. “Can you be more discrete in regard of my new conditions, in the future?”

“Sure. You see, you’re doing lot of progress,” Ferdinand smiled. “Are you able to handle well the Sun?”

“Yes. I have to avoid it when I can but I cannot appear with an umbrella like that.”

“You were doing it when we were children,” Ferdinand remembered.

“It was different. The Monastery will not accept a Vampire among them. Vampires are Monsters.”

Ferdinand moved his fingers to the mark adorning him.

“Keep it hide… Please?”

At those words, Ferdinand nodded.

Hubert approached him a little more. He lifted his hand, his fingertips brushing his throat but not touching at all.

“Can I have a drink?”

Ferdinand nodded once again. His heart was beating a little bit faster. Hubert could hear it. Should he sooth him? He was still so awkward with people. And though he had always nourished tender feeling for him, he had feed himself on that hate. Because he was an Aegir, because they couldn’t be on the same page, because he didn’t know how to deal with people and felt uneasy around them but Ferdinand was so cheerful. Because he was a Monster and Ferdinand so pure…

“We can sit on my bed, perhaps.”

Hubert followed him on said bed. Ferdinand put his hands on his knees and waited.

“I will not ask too often your drink.”

“Hubert. I accepted to be this pantry for you. And it’s bad not to sustain yourself. If you need, please, feed yourself.”

Hubert moved his hand, sliding it on the other side of Ferdinand’s neck.

“But…”

The Vampire stared him.

“Next time, have clothes, please? It’s a bit… indecent? What people would say?”

Ferdinand looked to his naked feet. He wasn’t better…

“I don’t think I will transform again in a bat. This would clear the problem.”

Hubert leaned on him, licking his throat. Ferdinand closed his eyes and his hands on his knees. Fangs entered on his flesh, he let out a moan of pain and breathed slowly. His cheeks turned red as he felt the blood coming out of it. It was a bit stranger than the first time because it looked formal but… there was something special too here.

He had the feeling he could hear his heart beat in Hubert’s chest. And he was concentrating on his hands so he wouldn’t move them, wouldn’t try to slide them on his hairs… He was doing his best so he wouldn’t let a soft moan come from his lips because he loved their proximity.

But he couldn’t say it.

He had to fight against this…

He noticed that Hubert wanted to do efforts for some reason. But it was still cold between them as soon as they stopped doing effort… Could they have something like that? He was dying of love for him. He was giving everything for him, just in the hope it could be a spark but… he was just dreaming.

He was Ferdinand Von Aegir and he had to think of what he had to do with his name. dreaming was everything he was allowed of… maybe that was the reason he was clinging on this. Dreaming as he offered his blood, his whole being to the man he loved so dearly, dreaming words he will never heard, dreamed privileges he will never receive…

“Thank you…”

Ferdinand opened the eyes in surprise. He looked at Hubert as the Vampire was sliding his fingers along the mark, gathering the last droplets.

“Is this what I’m supposed to do?”

Ferdinand nodded with a big smile. “Thank you.”

If Hubert listened to himself, he would kiss him, there. But he didn’t want to taint their relation that seemed to change for the good.

Running away from this need he… literally run away. He would give that blanket back to Ferdinand as soon as possible.

“Please, have a good night,” Ferdinand said.

Hubert closed the door and brought his fingers to his lips, sucking the last taste of life. Of course he was accommodated to the Sun, unlike others Vampire… he was in love with the Sun.


	4. Have a bite (to eat)

“Ferdinand!”

Hearing his name, Ferdinand immediately wore a smile and turned on his heels to look at Caspar. Caspar with a sleeping Linhardt on his back.

The young Duke waited for the other to come at him and he greeted him with a joyful tone full of light and charm then, he just accompanied him on their way to their class. He was delighted to have some company as he walked.

“You’re doing alright?”

“What a delightful attention! Yes, Caspar. And you?”

“Yay. Lin’ too!” he added, gesturing his chin toward his friend. “I was wondering because I had heard you talk alone that night.”

“Alone?” Ferdinand replied.

He did his best not to touch his throat. Did he have… dreamt all this night? Well… Hubert couldn’t be that indecent and move naked as he did in his room… His dreams must be less… pure than he thought. And dreaming a nice discussion with Hubert because they couldn’t have some… yes, this totally could be him…

But talking in his sleep.

That was new…

“Do you know what I said?” he asked to Caspar, still walking by his side.

“No! I was just hoping you will let me sleep!”

“I’m sorry. I hope this won’t happen again.”

Ferdinand wanted to offer him to come and wake him up if this happened but he was afraid, or maybe he hoped, that Hubert really came. And so, he would betray Hubert’s secret? He didn’t accept that.

Everything was really confused.

Could he ask Hubert?

If he came to him and Hubert learnt he had dreamt of him… Hubert would mock him.

His eyes were suddenly foggy, watery… He was so ridicule to hope he could be close to Hubert.

Of course it was a dream…

Hubert had been so delightful. Not as much as he had dreamt him because… sometimes, Hubert, in his dreams, had every qualities his father hoped for his partners… Of course, his father desired a lady so, sometimes Hubert just had his physics. This dream had been… perfect.

But, even if he couldn’t talk to his Vampire and hope everything was true even if this seemed impossible, he needed to talk to him. If this was a dream… Hubert hadn’t feed himself since four days…

They arrived in front of the class and Ferdinand glanced at Caspar, Linhardt still on his back.

“Will you come next to me for the lessons? Or maybe, I come next to you?”

He smiled.

“No.”

Ferdinand lost his smile. “No?” he said.

“Linhardt is sleeping and I need to concentrate to follow the lesson for him!”

“Maybe I can help you and give you my notes?”

“Not useful. Dorothea already told we could receive her help if I failed!” he said.

“Magnific!” Ferdinand replied.

He was forcing himself to smile but inside? Everything was shattering and a powerful sadness was grabbing him. Dorothea hated him; Bernadetta avoided him, though she was doing it with everybody; Petra was very fine alone; Linhardt was always sleeping and Caspar didn’t care much about him as such though he was always cheerful and… and he had dug himself the endless ditch between him, Edelgard and Hubert. Plus, he wasn’t helped at all because of his birth… the same that he kept waving at everyone with pride.

“I’m Ferdinand Von Aegir,” he whispered in the entry.

“Yes, I already know it.”

Ferdinand turned his head toward Dorothea who entered the room.

“I didn’t mean to…”

Ferdinand closed his eyes and his mouth. He moved his fingers and brushed his neck. No… all of this has no mean for him. This couldn’t brush his emotions. Couldn’t make him sad. He was doing perfectly fine.

“Good morning, everybody!” he said, entering the room. “I hope you had a beautiful night yesterday and you feel restful enough.”

He walked in the room and Dorothea let out a disgusted sound. Caspar gestured toward him so he would be less noisy. Linhardt could sleep in every situation but please. Bernadetta let out a whine as he passed next to her and she disappeared under the table. Petra greeted him as she was installing her belonging on the table. Their teacher would be there soon enough. There were a lot of others students from the Empire too, but most of them were ignoring him, or looking him from away…

Edelgard walked from the desk where she just had put a vase with a few flowers and nudged Hubert discretely.

“We can’t miss you, Ferdinand. Even if we want it,” Hubert said.

Ferdinand approached him.

“I’m fully aware of this. My deepest apologies to annoy you. Your flowers are beautiful, Edelgard.”

She smiled, pressing her hand on Hubert’s shoulder. “Thank you, Ferdinand.”

“We can hope seeing you trying to surpass her tomorrow, isn’t it?”

“Hm. Don’t be too disappointed when it will happen,” Ferdinand replied, staring Edelgard.

She nodded. “I can’t wait to see them.” She moved her hand. “Perhaps you would like to…”

As she gestured toward a chair, Hubert shook his head. He would honestly be delighted to have Ferdinand next to him but on the other hand, the delicious smell of his blood was already tickling him and he would care only for that. He wouldn’t be able to follow the lesson and his feelings would be betrayed.

With all the love and respect he had for Edelgard, this was only a bad idea.

“I see. I hope you had a good night. I had a delightful dream,” he smiled.

Hubert closed his fist as he looked Ferdinand moving away. Edelgard sat next to him.

“What is wrong with him?” Hubert whispered.

“Stay calm,” she invited softly. “You love him,” she reminded almost at his ear.

“Maybe I’ll change my mind…”

Edelgard let out a slight sigh out of her lips. She was trying her best for the love of Hubert but they were turning this really difficult.

However, it was painful for Hubert too. He knew he asked Ferdinand to be careful in public but not to be an idiot like that. Perhaps it was a big part of his personality? Why did he have to fall for an idiot?

If the Autumn was falling on Garreg Mach, turning the trees into a beautiful landscape with warm color, which Ignatz was so happy to paint, most of students still passed their time outside. It was absolutely amazing, the time wasn’t that cold… Night was harder to deal with without hot clothes or warm blanket but around the zenith, it was delicious. Not enjoying this would be a great mistake…

Especially when they had a long break for eating or/and training which was also used by some of them as a pleasant moment to stroll around or to do their homework.

It wasn’t surprising, then, that Ingrid was doing her homework on a little blanket in the still very green grass of Garreg Mach, not far away from the training room, Sylvain next to her, laying there, his head on Felix’s lap who used Sylvain face to write his own homework. Still on paper but… Sylvain’s face was an okay support.

“One more page and we can go to eat!” Ingrid said with a cheerful tone.

“Page?” Felix sighed. “I surely won’t follow you in the refectory, I have to train.”

“Come on, Felix, be lovely and come with us!” Sylvain said.

Or maybe it was what he wanted to say because the parchment on his face started to press on his lips when he was talking.

“Sylvain?”

Felix moved the paper and Sylvain turned his face, which allowed him to see Ferdinand standing at a few paces from them but on the path.

“Ferdinand!”

“What a pleasure to see you. And your friends, of course.”

“Greetings, Ferdinand,” Ingrid said, handing a book to Felix so he could pursue his work.

Ferdinand nodded slightly. “May I require some advices from you?” he added.

“To Sylvain?” Ingrid said.

Ferdinand nodded.

“It would be a pleasure, what is it?”

“If you want to… hm… invite _a girl_ to… eat, what would you do?”

“Is this a test?” Sylvain asked.

“No.”

“Well… you go to see her and you invite her,” Sylvain said.

“If you want to, I stab him,” Felix offered.

“The fact you’re offering this that fast upset me,” the redhead pouted.

Ferdinand moved on his tip toe. “And if… I didn’t dare because… it wouldn’t be correct?” he said.

“Have you clues about her feeling?” Sylvain wondered.

“No…”

“Honestly, for once, Sylvain wasn’t so wrong. A dinner invitation mean nothing, in fact. Just try not be gross like Sylvain.”

“I’m not gross!”

“Move,” Felix said to Sylvain.

He couldn’t resist to such a gold tone and just complied. He glanced at Felix as this one was gathering his belongings and shoving them so quickly in his bag, Ingrid didn’t even have time to protest against this behavior, he was already up.

“Let’s go eat,” he said. He walked toward Ferdinand and passed next to him. “Come with us,” he said.

Ferdinand glanced at Sylvain, who helped Ingrid to get up, and then just followed Felix.

They walked through the Monastery until arriving to the refectory. As often, it was filled with students, teachers and different people giving themselves to the faith of the Church. Felix hated this place because it was always so full of sound…

Ferdinand looked around and his heart skipped a beat when he saw Hubert in the darkest spot of the room. He had a light smile when he saw the man looking up and his uncovered eye crossing his.

“Who is she?”

“Who is who?” Ferdinand asked.

Ingrid turned her head toward him, then toward the direction he was looking.

“You’re interested by Edelgard?” she smiled softly.

“Excuse me?” Ferdinand repeated. “Oh? Yes.” He nodded. “Yes, Edelgard, indeed.”

“She is really beautiful and with such a character! My poor Ferdie, you will suffer but you will have fun,” Sylvain smiled. “It’s just like having to deal with Ingrid!”

Hearing this, she threw her first in his skull.

“AOUTCH!!!” Sylvain protested. “See!!”

“Aren’t you all friends?” Ferdinand wondered.

As they were talking, Felix just moved away, walking toward the huge tables filled with the students and the plates more or less plentiful of food.

“We do,” Ingrid replied. “But Sylvain is sometimes… very…” she seemed to search her words. “Sylvain,” she said.

“I’m very Sylvain,” he smiled.

Ferdinand blinked in surprise.

“I’m going to take food,” Ingrid pursued, looking like she was starving since a few days. “Where is Felix?”

Ferdinand turned his head and noticed the young man at just a few paces from his classmates.

“Excuse me, the place is taken?” Felix asked to Edelgard.

Hubert frowned immediately.

“Not at all,” Edelgard replied. “Do you want to sit?”

“Thank you,” he said.

Before gesturing to Sylvain. Which grabbed Ferdinand by his shoulders and pushed him toward the table. Edelgard couldn’t help but smile slightly but softly while Hubert moved his chair a little. He didn’t even know why. Did he want to run away from the smell taking such delicious notes, did he want to offer his chair to Ferdinand like an idiot or even just invite him to sit next to him.

He was so ridicule.

“You’re awesome,” Sylvain muttered at Felix’s ear.

“Silence,” this one groaned. “You don’t mind if they stay too?” he added toward Edelgard.

“Of course, not.”

“Ingrid will join us too,” Sylvain pointed out. “We are such lucky guys to be allowed to eat with a beautiful flower.”

“Ingrid is, indeed, a really pretty woman,” Edelgard smiled.

Sylvain tugged the chair next to Edelgard to offer it to Ferdinand. “I was talking about you, my lady. You are the most beautiful flower I got the chance to see. Ferdinand was saying the same to me a bit earlier,” he added with a wink.

“Ferdinand?” Hubert said.

Edelgard laughed. “You had? You are really lovely, Ferdinand. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he replied.

He was such an idiot. The situation couldn’t become worse… He wanted to hide himself in a hole.

“Felix, come with me to help Ingrid with the food,” Sylvain said.

“Wait, you won’t let me all alone with…”

Sylvain threw him a confused glance as he walked backward in direction of the buffet/kitchen area.

“We’re coming back,” Felix soothed.

But it was enough for Ferdinand to feel his World even more crush under his feet. He could feel Hubert’s look on him and he heard a giggle coming from Edelgard.

“In what kind of situation have you been trapped in?” Edelgard asked.

“I don’t know.”

“We are almost done,” Hubert said. “You won’t have to deal with us more.”

Ferdinand glanced at him and he noticed the meat in his plate. Bloody meat that spluttered droplets as Hubert’s fork dug into the meal.

Blood…

“Bon appetite,” he said, feeling even more an idiot.

“Thank you,” Edelgard replied, since Hubert said nothing.

It was so awkward.

Ferdinand glanced at the little group from Faerghus and felt eased when he saw them coming back. Ingrid was talking with her two friends with a frown. When they arrived at the table, Felix sat next to Hubert without a word, and in front of Ferdinand, as Sylvain took the place next to the young Duke, winking at Ingrid who installed herself in front him.

“Thank you for accepting us. I hope you really don’t mind to have to bear people like us,” she said to the two others as Sylvain gave a plate to Ferdinand.

This one thanked him.

“You mean people coming from Faerghus?” Edelgard wondered. “I have nothing against you. Your country is really lovely, in fact.

“You see me eased,” Ingrid replied.

“I’m really sorry if I have frightened you about this. I lived in Faerghus a little time.”

As she smiled, Ferdinand noticed she seemed to struggle keeping it. And he perfectly knew why. It was while she was away in Faerghus that his father organized everything to take down her father. And very a few times after that everything started to occur… Her brothers and sisters dying mysteriously, her hairs turning white and her father’s health starting to decline. Today, it was still hidden that Duke Aegir was secretly holding the reins of the Empire but it would be a matter of day before his father could overtake the Emperor without risking anything because the people would be eased to have a real leader rather than someone… about to die.

“You should come in the Adrestian Empire one day!” Ferdinand invited to change the discussion. “It would be lovely.”

“It is a very kind offer,” Ingrid said. “I had the chance to talk a few time to Dorothea and she depicts the land with such beautiful words!”

“Ah! Dorothea is very gifted with those and you would be delighted to know everything she can tell.”

“Especially when it comes to sing or play. Her and the Professor Manuela together, your heart is ravished,” Ferdinand commented.

“Dorothea _and_ Manuela together?” Sylvain smiled.

Two heavy sounds echoed at the same time and Sylvain bowed in two, his face almost hitting his food. He hiccupped.

“I hate both of you,” he moaned to Ingrid and Felix. “I didn’t even mean that…”

If the first one kept a suspicious look on him, Felix seemed pretty proud of himself as he took a sip at his glass. Hubert smirked and then his eyes came back to what was making his hands damp through his gantlets… Ferdinand’s face.

“So,” Ingrid said. “Manuela and Dorothea?”

Ferdinand nodded with a smile.

“My mother brought me see one of their Opera a few months before the beginning of the classes and this was absolutely delightful.”

Losing his fear and unease with such a lovely subject, Ferdinand started to talk with his usual easiness and Ingrid, Edelgard and Hubert were listening to him. One of them with more care than the others.

No one could say that the dinner went wrongly. It was the total invert, in fact. Edelgard seemed to like the three friends of Faerghus and even had invited them to come again. Ingrid was pleased, not having a lot of woman friend, and if Felix was annoyed, it was probable he would come again. Hubert, on the other hand, didn’t like to have those unknowns around his lady…

In theory, it happened perfectly well.

But in practice…

Sylvain told him he just should go ahead.

Felix had succeeded to have them eat with Hubert and Edelgard, as well as passing a really good moment, just by going ahead. It shouldn’t be that bad…

So, Ferdinand left his room, passed by Caspar’s and knocked at Hubert’s. His hands were turning damp as he waited and when the door opened on Hubert…

“Drink my blood, please,” he said immediately.


	5. A brief story of life

“Drink my blood, please.”

As soon as Ferdinand’s words floated in the corridor, Hubert made him enter the room and closed it just behind him.

Ferdinand was afraid he did a mistake.

Again.

Hubert walked toward his desk, grabbed parchments and opened a drawer to slide them into it, taking a key to lock them.

“Can I know what is happening for you to come that way?”

“I’m worrying,” he said. “We eat three times a day and you…” Ferdinand closed his eyes. “I saw your steak. So bloody…”

“I saw you have friends, in the end,” Hubert replied, locking the drawer.

Ferdinand forced himself to keep smiling.

“They’re not my friends. They’re Sylvain’s friend and Sylvain… He probably felt like he had to help me.”

“Help you?” Hubert smirked.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Hubert walked toward him. Ferdinand was still standing on the middle of the room, not that far away from the door. And Hubert slid between them, as if he wanted to prevent him from running away…

“I thought you were…” Hubert watched him from the heel to the back of his head, struggling not to touch those sunny locks seeming so soft… “… perfect.”

Ferdinand let out a cold laugh and swirled on his feet, approaching him.

“I just want to be your friend. We are in this situation together. For so long. The eternity, maybe. If it’s really what you want, you can just bit me every time you wish it and nothing else, really. Just tell it to me. But please, stop mocking me every time you have the occasion.”

Hubert wanted to say ‘I wasn’t mocking you’ but he realized how much, every time he tried to tell him his feelings, he was just doing the invert, hurting the dear heart he loved so much…

“Friend…”

“It is so horrible?”

It was better than nothing…

“Very well,” Ferdinand said, walking toward the bed. “I will be satisfied with just a very polite relationship. And you, you will feed on Ferdinand Von Aegir’s blood as often as you want. Just say to me how often I must come for your convenience.”

As he talked, he took out the ascot around his neck, revealing the two dark dots surrounded by white skin.

“Why would you like to become my friend?” Hubert asked, walking toward him.

He stared him as he saw him put his hands on his knees, like yesterday. Like someone waiting for the guillotine to fall on his neck…

Ferdinand tilted slightly his head.

His heart was singing a melody but his lips tell otherwise.

“It just would be more polite. Friends can tell to each other when they need something. If you’re my friend, you can ask me to drink when you need to. Even if I thought you wouldn’t hesitate to ask me to have it.” He closed his eyes. “I made you a promise and my mother told me to always accomplish them. No matter what. Even if I have to give my life for it.”

Hubert approached him.

“You always talk about your mother. I believed you were very fond of your father,” Hubert said, the last word spitting as venom.

Ferdinand opened his eyes and looked him.

“I love him, really. Dearly. And on the same time… I hate him. I hate him so much,” Ferdinand muttered, his hands twitching on his knees.

“Here, we have a little bit more things in common.”

Hubert sat next to him, holding out his hand but… he couldn’t touch him. He couldn’t embrace him, brush his cheek, try to chase his sorrow. His raven’s wings would bring sorrow instead of dissipating it.

“I’m not lying… Ferdinand Von Aegir doesn’t lie. I hate him for what he did to your family and Edelgard’s family. I hate him for what he did to the people, someone who has to take care of the Empire shouldn’t do that. I hate him for…” He closed his eyes. “Others things…”

Ferdinand grabbed the hand held out and squeezed it between his.

“I will pay that debt. I will pay the debt I owe to Edelgard.”

“Ferdinand Von Aegir… you’re a better man than your father. I offer you my apologies for having believed you were just like him.”

Hubert moved away.

Ferdinand, still holding his hand, got up as he saw him step aside. He felt the fingers around him and Hubert’s strength helped him standing on his feet before he lost his balance and just an arm was preventing him from falling in the floor.

“If becoming my friend is your only request…”

“Do you wish to keep it as a secret?” Ferdinand wondered.

He closed his eyes because if he looked those light green eyes, his heart would beat so fast…

“I will do effort for looking nice to you even outside this room. But I won’t tolerate you to chafe her Majesty. For now, your jealousy and need to be better than her seems to amuse her but if it had to change…”

Ferdinand nodded. He wanted to say ‘thank you’ but his heart was in such a state.

“I wondered… why are you always trying to be better than her? Against what are you competing? What your father told you she has and not you?”

His father?

Nothing.

What she had and him wouldn’t?

He couldn’t say that to him… Because, obviously, it was… him. His affection, his presence, his devotion, the right to be touched by him and to talk with him. His smile, maybe? The sound of his voice… The right to be hold in those arms…

He couldn’t say that.

So he said what his father always told him.

“She received everything at birth. Us, from the Aegir family, we have to fight every second or we have nothing.”

“Indeed… I only know him taking things by force,” Hubert said.

“You know nothing…” Ferdinand whispered.

“Is this because you hate him that you are mine now?” he asked.

“Is this what you want to hear?”

Ferdinand opened his eyelids. As his eyes encountered the soft green lakes, as his heart beat a serenade to Hubert’s appetite, the Vampire helped him to stand on his feet again.

“Is this what you think?”

Ferdinand looked down. “Sometimes, I wonder,” he said under his breath.

Hubert lifted him and walked toward the bed, laying him in. Ferdinand closed his eyes, again, and turned his face toward him, offering his neck. The Vampire knelt on the floor, next to him. Ferdinand brushed Hubert’s hand with his fingertips. The other man leaned on his throat, licking the skin. Ferdinand looked him, stared him… Did he loved him because he wanted to annoy his father? He was proud of his name, of who he was but if he loved a man and gave himself to him, being the first son, he would be the biggest shame of the man…

Was is that?

Did he desire him with the Noblesse of his heart, of his love?

If only…

He really wished it. But it was so confuse… so confuse…

Until the fangs sung into his flesh and that blood flew from his lips. He knew, at this moment, that his heart was beating from him. It was screaming ‘I love you’ and he hoped Hubert could hear it. Maybe he could because his fingers slid along his and their hands linked to each other.

He begged the Goddess to this to be real because as he was letting Hubert suck his life… he felt so alive…


	6. Feeling terrible

It was the third month they had to deal with a task given by the Archbishop. They had to hunt down bandits, seeing the real horror for the first time in most of the case… They had to hunt down someone who was raising himself against the Church of Seiros, and now this… All of this because of a letter they had found on this man…

Ferdinand almost had forgotten about the important mission they had to protect Rhea because he had been so preoccupied by his heart, by his new statute, by Hubert, of course… He was his since one week and half now, letting him drink at his neck since almost one week, and trying to find the correct balance between being next to him and not being too obvious. There was still something with him… looks sliding along him when he tried to reach Hubert…

Was it because _he_ was trying to talk with Hubert, the vassal of the Emperor’s last child, or because Hubert, someone seen as unworthy, too creepy, too strange, was around the first son of the Aegir House. No one knew how much the Aegir family had turned but the influence they had was still very worshipped. Or totally hated. But this… this depended of whom. One day, a commoner of the Empire threw mud at him…

Things would have been way more difficult for him if Sylvain wasn’t there. He was the one forcing him to come eat with Hubert and Edelgard. Sometimes, Ingrid was with them, very rarely, Felix joined them but Sylvain was always there… with him, it was easier.

He was so grateful for that…

Thanks to him, he was allowed to touch moments of joy outside of that embrace when he was giving his blood to Hubert because he couldn’t do much more.

And tonight…

Tonight, as he was offering himself to him… he just… fell asleep in his arms.

Hubert had been surprised, unsettled… but now… now, he was just looking him, sometimes touching his hairs. They were so soft… but most of the time, he didn’t move, just looking him… his Ferdinand. Sleeping…

It had been ten hours and yet… he still loved it. Every breath, every frown, everything… and being in right to be the witness of his sleep he even had been able to ease away the young Duke when he saw him twitch in his sleep. Strangely, he never imagined Ferdinand could have nightmares… Everybody had some from what he knew but most of them didn’t make people move, moan and… beg like that.

His hand in Ferdinand’s hair and his softs words asked so much time to ease him and when Ferdinand moved to snuggle in his arms, against his chest.

He was in love.

He was in Heaven…

And this was his secret because he didn’t want to disturb Ferdinand with all of this…

Remind him the Nightmare, talk to him about the joy to be next to him… all of this had to stay secret. And he kept looking him with softness. Until Ferdinand moved and yawned, moving in the mattress. It was basically a normal yawn, maybe an ugly yawn?, but for him… it was the cutest yawn…

Ferdinand rubbed his eyes.

“Good morning, Hubert,” he whispered softly.

“Good morning,” the Vampire replied.

“How ar… HUBERT?!”

Ferdinand quickly moved away, his back, and his skull, hitting the wall.

“Yes. It’s still my room,” he said with a little smirk.

“Your room. I… oh, dear. I’m really sorry.”

Ferdinand quickly moved outside of the bed, flustering and turning so red…

“I…”

Ferdinand gulped, ashamed by what he dared to do and, in the same time, he had slept with Hubert? In the embrace of his arms? And he didn’t remember that? What horror.

“Have a nice day, Hubert!”

“A… nice day?” he smiled.

Ferdinand came outside quickly.

“Ferdinand!” Hubert said, getting up.

The young Duke stopped in the other side of the threshold. Hubert joined him as quickly as he could. He held out his hand, wanting to touch him but not doing it… his fingers closed around the frame door.

“Be cautious for today’s mission.”

“I will. You too.”

Ferdinand moved backward and then quickly in his room.

Hubert heard a light sound behind him. Someone clearing their throat. He turned his head to see Edelgard, her hairs in a mess and still wearing a lighter outfit.

“I don’t want to lose him,” he said under his breath.

She was the only one who was in right to hear those words.

“I know,” she replied, her arms folded. “I will be alright,” she said.

Edelegard approached him, he leaned above her and so her lips approached his ear.

“I care about you, Hubert. I won’t let anything happening to him,” she swore.

“I owe you more than my life, Lady Edelgard.”

“I do owe more than my life to you,” she replied.

While the month, their professor had done a lot of research so they could know what was waiting for them and while that really important ceremony, they would be able to sneak around and know what was going on for real…

Rhea wasn’t in danger because Seteth was keeping an eye on her and with that, Jeralt and Aloïs. Plus Manuela and Hannerman if you really wanted to be sure. Among them, a lot of soldiers were ready. No one would touch the Archbishop. And them, ready to help. With the help of their professor, Edelgard had installed their classmates all around. More she trusted them, closer they were from the vault… and in Hubert’s ask, Ferdinand was away so he couldn’t risk anything. But Ferdinand wouldn’t like that…

The ceremony was about to start and Edelgard’s nerfs were screaming at her for mercy.

“Edelgard?”

She turned toward that voice, her eyes widening.

“Dimitri?” He was walking toward her and she moved to him. “Shouldn’t you be with the Archbishop and make sure she risks nothing?” she asked. “What our professors said about this?”

“Exactly what you just said,” Dimitri said, nodding slightly. “I will be there soon but Sylvain is searching for Ferdinand.”

She frowned at those words. “Now?”

“Yes. Ingrid didn’t let me other choices to comply,” he said with a light giggle.

“I’m sorry. I’m afraid we don’t have time for this. Is this important?”

“I have no idea,” the Prince replied. “I won’t annoy you any more longer but I wish you to accomplish the mission.” He bowed in front of her, moving his hand in front of him with grace. “Please, stay safe, Edelgard. I wouldn’t want something to happen to you.”

“Those words are very sweet from you, Dimitri. I will take care if you swear to me to take care as well.”

“I will.”

Edelgard pinch her lips but only someone knowing her more than everything, Hubert then, would have noticed. But maybe Dimitri did too…

“Yes?”

“We often have Noble of Faerghus at our table for dinner and we would be delighted to have you, one day.”

“I will come, in this case.”

“Thank you,” she smiled.

He bowed again in front of her and turned to move away.

“Do I have to kill him?”

Edelgard got a chill and did her best to hide it. Hubert could appear from nowhere and it always had been like that but, since he was a full Vampire, she swore he was even better to sneak around…

“Because he talked to me or because he is searching your Darling?”

“Both,” he replied.

“Don’t worry,” she said with confidence.

But he was worrying.

The ceremony was about to start. It was the right moment to know if enemies had slithered around and to protect both the Archbishop and whatever those adversaries were searching for…

They were about to deploy and protect the Church as it was their duty to do it.

“Ferdinand?”

Ferdinand frowned when he heard the voice. Damn!!! He pressed his hands along the wall and tried to get up. He was on the floor, his forehead against his knees. He was still wondering what happened… Wake him up in Hubert’s arms. This was still so delightful. He was still feeling this embrace around him. And he did his best to chase it.

“Yes?” he asked, standing, smiling, and fixed quickly his hairs.

He saw Felix coming toward him. And the first thing he did when arriving closer… was to frown.

“Yes?” Ferdinand smiled again.

“Sylvain is sending me,” Felix said. “He was worrying about you.”

“About me?” Ferdinand moved his jabot, arranging it and making sure no one could see the marks on his throat. “I don’t see why…”

“He seemed to believe you were hiding something or you needed help.”

“I’m doing absolutely fine. Tell Sylvain I’m very grateful.”

“I can but I don’t like to lie to him so… what do I do?”

“Don’t lie to him, then. I will see him after.”

Felix nodded. He folded his arms and kept his eyes on him. And there was something in his chestnuts eyes. Something that gave chill to Ferdinand. As if he was able to know something was, indeed, happening. As if he could see the marks through the white fabric.

“If you don’t feel like you can talk to Sylvain, know that I don’t care enough about people’s problems to betray their secrets.”

“Thank you, I guess,” Ferdinand laughed with nervousness.

He frowned when he heard movements, people calling. ‘They’re here! They’re here!” they said.

Felix moved away. He had to be at the ceremony. Not to protect the Archbishop but to protect those he loved…

Ferdinand moved away. He had to be on the inner part of the Monastery. He had to serve the Church and prove the value of his family! He walked to the last area he saw Edelgard and walked inside those rooms that were usually forbidden to the public. Such a place, bathed by the Goddess aura… he felt too honored…

In his hand, his spear was slightly shaking. Or maybe it was his hand? His whole body… He tried to keep his determination. Focusing on what mattering, no matter what was crossing his mind for now.

“Our enemy appears to be after the tomb of Saint Seiros in the back,” Edelgard’s voice swirled away.

Ferdinand’s focus struck him back and he walked next to Bernadetta. Her hands were shaking on her bow and the two arrows she was holding.

“Do not worry, Bernadetta, you risk nothing,” Ferdinand said with a smile.

She let out a scream and moved on the side, her back hitting a pillar. And loud hooves sound reverberated around. Something cold seemed to come suddenly from the guts of the earth itself, sliding around the wall and engulfing in their moral…

Something was coming…

“Death Knight!” the mage, next to the tomb, called.

The Knight, with a death mask and this feeling spreading around him, walked, a scythe on his hand. It gathered breathes around. Almost every breath…

“Prove your strength and scatter those fools!”

“Bernie did nothing,” Bernadetta muttered, shaking on her legs.

Dorothea dashed to her, slightly bending. “We know you did nothing,” she eased softly.

“That’s…” Linhardt whispered.

“If you say interesting, I hit you,” Caspar replied.

The laugh of the Death Knight, who was gauging all of them, reverberated on the room.

“I don’t waste my time on weaklings,” his frightening voice echoed.

“Weaklings?” Ferdinand said as he walked toward them. “I’m Ferdi…”

A hand against his mouth make him quiet, and almost fall. He looked on the side to see Hubert who held one hand out, magic roaring from there and lightening Edelgard’s closed face.

“Let’s do all we can to avoid that Knight… he is a powerful enemy,” she said.

Ferdinand moved away from Hubert, throwing him a look but he didn’t glance back at him…

“Destroying every of those children will be a child play,” one of the Mage said.

And as he said, dark magic came from his hands. As it dashed toward Hubert, this one dodged it and cast back darkness. It was the first time anyone saw him do something else than fire… That magic…

If Linhardt seemed to notice it, it wasn’t the case for others except for Ferdinand. Who couldn’t help touch at his ascot.

“Dorothea, Bernadetta, Ferdinand, on the right! Linhardt, Caspar, Petra please, on the left! Professor… will you make me the honor?” Edelgard asked.

Hubert gathered dark energy as she was talking and commanding. He casted the energy, making flinch the mage who received it. They heard a painful cough and Dorothea used this opportunity to throw thunder at one of them. Bernadetta’s hands were shaking but she notched an arrow and, at the moment she let it slide in the air, her fingers were steady, for a second, her face was also steady, but just after, as the man she had touched screamed, she was about to cry.

“Bernadetta, I…” Ferdinand started.

She let out a scream and Dorothea glanced at him fiercely.

Ferdinand just wanted to offer his help and now he was so confused and sorry…

“What noise!” a mage groaned.

“Clever opening, Bernadetta!” Hubert mercilessly laughed.

Ferdinand stared as he saw the magic come from Hubert. His heart skipped a beat. The Vampire looked toward him and a slight smile draw slowly on the pinky lips of Ferdinand.

“Can you _focus_?” Dorothea groaned to him, pushing his shoulder.

She sucked the life out of a mage and Ferdinand just… forgot his envy to protect everybody to focus on those enemies. If he ended them, he would protect everybody… not in the way he wanted but he will have to deal with this…

He swirled on himself to throw his spear in the shoulder of a mage, opening a large wound. Blood splattered along and the mage moved back. His magic came from his hands but a new attack of the spear and the wrists were letting blood stream from them… If Bernadetta’s screams were enough to turn enemies’ attention away, they weren’t idiots and they could see the openings too…

Hubert let out a groan.

Ferdinand glanced at him and saw his body shaking under a thunderstruck. And the smiled he gave to them after that…

“Now, die…”

Ferdinand heard the words at his ear.

“Ferdie!!” Dorothea screamed.

Fire started to warm his belly. Too close.

“You, die.”

Miasmas spurted from the floor and engulfed the Mage, making die the fire with him… Ferdinand felt his heart beat so fast. But he couldn’t prevent himself to think… Was Hubert protecting his blood-bag, his comrade or someone too weak…?

He walked backward, his spear shaking even more. He tried to calm it as his eyes passed around, searching the one he could attack. Dorothea just forced someone to move away, Bernadetta was looking through her tears as she saw one Mage fell. Sometimes, you could see a white energy attesting Linhardt was healing while Caspar was protecting him and Petra ending Caspar’s adversaries. Having no remorse, no reason to hold back, the team composed of the teacher, Edelgard and Hubert was very powerful.

Have you ever felt useless?

Ferdinand felt so useless…

He was Ferdinand Von Aegir… and his spear was shaking… His skin was so pale.

And his elbow hit something.

He turned his head and went even paler.

“Unconscious little moth…” a laugh welcomed him.

The Death Knight.

“I…”

The Scythe raised in the air and slayed.

Bernadetta screamed. Dorothea yelled after Ferdinand…

Ferdinand’s body felt on the floor.

Avoiding having his throat slid open by the Scythe thanks to only one, maybe two, seconds.

“**_FERDINAND_**!!!” Hubert roared.

At this exact moment, he was surrounded by dark energy and dark spikes appeared everywhere… but where Ferdinand and Edelgard were. The horse of the Death Knight whined and felt, throwing his cavalier on the spikes and making him spurt blood in his mask.

While his classmates, and his teacher, were trying to avoid the spikes, Hubert dashed to Ferdinand, raising his neck and trying to feel his heartbeat.

It…

It was almost absent.

His eyes turned red. The Death Knight couldn’t move anymore and his voice rose from his mask, willingly.

“Nothing. He was so weak, I wanted to let the hand of the Reaper felt on his miserable life… It was… fun,” he explained.

“Fun… See how I will end your misery. Contemplate if it’s still fun.”

“Linhardt!” Byleth called.

Caspar grabbed the hand of his friend and led him to Ferdinand through the spikes. And it was difficult… Bernadetta had felt on the floor in horror, looking all those body impaled on the spikes. Most of them had open wound on their bodies… Her forearm was streaming blood, Dorothea was holding her thigh…

Linhardt had never yet touched blood and yet, Ferdinand was covered by it… Brushing him almost made him puck and yet, he slid his fingers along his neck and immediately felt the pulse. Weak, but there.

“He’s alive,” Linhardt said.

“I know he’s alive! I want to know what is happening!”

His eyes were gleaming as they met Linhardt’s who couldn’t move anymore, barely breath. This land of blood was his domain and he will not lose Ferdinand here.

“What are you doing to him!” Caspar said.”

“Bring him to the infirmary,” Edelgard commanded.

Hubert had no reason to say ‘no’ to her. Not only because of the fact he would do anything for her but because Ferdinand…

“What are you…?” Petra asked.

The question Hubert never wanted to receive. Especially since a bit more than a week. Especially not when his no-beating heart was dying…

It wasn’t the moment!!!

“You are…” Dorothea hiccupped, looking Hubert with horror.

She knew.

He hadn’t been very discrete…

He had wanted to keep his secret until the grave but… Ferdinand was barely breathing in his arms. If he had to let flew every ounce of his Vampiric magic to protect him, he would do it. He waited for Rhea anyway…

Her Church couldn’t do anything against him.

“In love with Ferdie!!!”

He didn’t expect _this_ secret to be revealed. And yet… it was as obvious as him being a Vampire…


	7. Bleeding Heart

Byleth had wanted to stay but they had no choice. When the Archbishop asked you something, especially when she had been the target of a complot, you couldn’t say ‘no’ like that… So, after a few protestations and being sure that Hubert would take care of Ferdinand, they had left for whatever this reunion would hold…

Dorothea didn’t stay. Not for him, she said… Bernadetta ran away in her room, Linhardt just went away to wash his hands again and again and maybe sleep and try to forget so, obviously, Caspar had followed him. Petra didn’t stay. Even if she had been hurt. She didn’t care about that…

‘I don’t have friends.” Ferdinand had said that to him and Hubert wouldn’t believe it. But he was almost dead, or looked like, and none of them where here…

Edelgard was here. But he knew she was there for him more than for Ferdinand himself…

From here, he could hear Ferdinand’s heartbeat but he was angry. Angry against himself because he could hear them. All the time. And he didn’t have noticed something went wrong?

When will Manuela come and tell him what was it about…

“They have opened the tomb,” he whispered.

“Hubert, we don’t need to talk about th…”

“Lady Edelgard, my deep and sincere apologies for cutting you short…” He looked up at her, clenching his fists and wrinkling his white gloves… “I need it.”

She came next to him, sitting by his side. “He will go alright.”

“That is what I want to believe.”

“What happened?”

“I don’t know…”

Hubert tried to look confident and act as if he didn’t care but he was caring. So much.

“He is my Calyx. I should know.”

And he knew nothing.

Edelgard could see his confusion. She wanted to have the words. She wanted to talk to him about that but on the other hand… if she pursued in this direction, she would only hurt him.

“The seal had been opened,” she muttered. “And I can’t reach what we expected within it. Now… what should we do? I hoped we could pursue without those who slither in the dark,” she continued in a very low voice.

No one could hear her, except those who would have capacities beyond Humanity. Those same people who would notice, or feel, her chills…

Hubert took out his jacket and slid it around her shoulders.

“We will succeed, with or without them.”

She nodded. “Did I thank you to be by my side?”

“At your own way, yes, Lady Edelgard. But you don’t have to. I’m your vassal for now and for the end of the time. I will do what you want to, whatever it is. I won’t do anything against your will.”

“In this case, you have my benediction for… you know what.”

“What?”

“Ferdinand.”

Hubert seemed confuse.

“Be with him?” Edelgard glanced at the door of the infirmary. “He will be all right. And now, the whole class know your feelings… he will learn it too.”

“Maybe they won’t say anything? I can’t go to him and say him what I feel for him because I can’t stand his hate. We are friends.” Hubert clenched his fists. “I will make sure none of them dare to tell him my feelings. I’m his only friend…”

“I don’t think so,” she said. “Before the mission, Dimitri came to see me. Sylvain was worrying for him.”

“They are not friends.”

“They look friends,” Edelgard replied, surprised.

Hubert nodded. “But Sylvain isn’t his friend… And the others are Sylvain’s friends.”

Edelgard watched the door.

“I agree to be Ferdinand’s friend.” She closed her eyes. “I would like it, if he didn’t need to beat me in everything.”

“He is a bit annoying when he wants it.”

“However, you like him that way,” she smiled.

He nodded. “He often tries to do his best,” he said. “There is something so pure and precious within him…” He closed his eyes. “But he is an Aegir.”

But Ferdinand hated his father…

“I’m fine with being his friend.”

He just wanted to be in his life… Even if it had to be a little-little part…

Just the right to steal a bit of happiness… It was always what he did anyway…

“How is he doing?”

Byleth went back from the reunion. But not alone. Sylvain was by their side and also the Archbishop. One of them received a look of hate from both Hubert and Edelgard.

Hopefully, it was Sylvain who had talked and he had this worry look on his face. Something you wouldn’t see very often with him. He always smiled and cheered up everybody.

“Who are you?” Hubert asked, getting up.

“Uh? Sylvain… You alright?” he wondered.

“You know what I…”

As he was talking, the young man saw Sylvain pushing open the door despite the protestations of Byleth.

Inside, Manuela turned her head toward them. She was lovely as ever and yet, she had her hairs ruffled in every sense and blood on her face. On some of her exposed skin. And she showed a very angry look when she saw five unsolicited people in her infirmary.

Hubert could have been worry, seeing the lady that way but he was also to know that she was covered with a stinky blood. Not the delicious one he wanted to taste every second, not the delicious one he received every night, dying every time for those heartbeats, for embracing him…

He approached the bed.

“How is he?” Sylvain asked. He pointed out to Ferdinand, laying in the bed. “Him. Is he alive?”

“He is alive,” Hubert replied, hearing his heartbeat.

But it was so weak.

“He just has been frightened by the Knight, am I wrong?” Edelgard asked.

“I think you are wrong, Edelgard,” she said. “How can I explain this?”

This wasn’t something that happened very often…

Her manicured hand, though stained by the work of today, moved toward Ferdinand.

“From what I know and observed… it’s as if he had not enough blood in his veins. But he has no wounds.” She closed her eyes. “No wounds that could provoke such a loss,” she explained.

“What?” Sylvain said.

Hubert went blank. Edelgard watched him and her fingers twitched at a few centimeters from him…

“It’s like… his blood had evaporated,” Manuela said.

“Is it dangerous? Can it happen again? Is it a common illness?” Sylvain asked.

He approached Ferdinand without the slightest authorization and he brushed his cheek.

“If he needs blood, you can take mine!” he offered immediately, his face seeming even more worry.

How could he not be a friend?

“No!”

It wasn’t Manuela but Hubert and Edelgard at the same time. The Archbishop stared them with her so strange look, almost hypnotizing… But no one was looking her.

Sylvain was frowning. “You want to give him your blood?” he said.

“I can’t,” Hubert replied.

“I wouldn’t do that,” Edelgard added. She watched her friend and Vassal. “But, are you sure you cannot…” she whispered.

She knew what blood was running within Hubert’s veins: Ferdinand’s blood. It was his blood, their blood, so of course, he should be the best one to offer some to Ferdinand. Give it back what belonged to him.

But the cold shook of the chin Hubert gave her…

He was a Vampire.

Maybe he would die if he did that. He wasn’t done to give his blood, even at his own Calyx, only to take it away. Leeching everything, taking and becoming stronger. And yet… Yet, of course Hubert would have given their blood to Ferdinand if he could have…

“If none of you are willing to, in this case…” Rhea said, as she approached Ferdinand.

Her fingers almost brushed the golden hairs and… suddenly a hand around her wrist, pain spreading in her forearm as the grip hardened.

“Touch him and it would be the last thing you will do,” Hubert warned with a cold tone. “Don’t even try to slide your filthy blood within him.”

“Let go on my arm, Hubert Von Vestra!” she roared.

“Do you think I’m afraid of you?” he smirked.

“Is this necessary?” Byleth asked, stepping forward.

Their hand came on Hubert’s hand, glancing at him with a clear look. But the rest of the question? Was addressed to Manuela.

“Do we need to give him blood, you mean, professor?” Sylvain asked.

Byleth nodded.

Manuela looked Ferdinand then the situation. Rhea had lifted her hand and so Hubert had removed his. Byleth moved and the Archbishop let them be next to the student. If it was the best to let the problems allay…

“For now…” Manuela didn’t touch him to avoid the situation to worsen. “He needs rest. And to eat. And now, he needs calm!”

She showed the door.

“Thank you for taking care of him,” Rhea said with a soft smile.

“Thank you, Madam. I’m only doing my work.”

Sylvain walked toward Edelgard, holding out his hand to her under Hubert’s cold look.

“Lady… Don’t worry, Miss Manuela is the best. Ferdinand will be better very soon,” he eased with a soft smile.

She frowned and glanced at Hubert. Sylvain glanced at Hubert too.

And at this moment… Hubert groaned and clenched his fists, too worry Ferdinand could hear about everything he could do for him. Too worry to lose him if he pursued in this direction…

“Keep him alive, Lady Manuela, please. I want to kill him with my owns hands.”

“Oh,” Sylvain said, frowning.

When he saw Edelgard’s eyes, Hubert realized he may have badly acted. It was so much easier to act like he hated Ferdinand instead of loving him openly… and he would have a lot of discussion to have. If he could make them forget about the feelings he had for Ferdinand…

He offered his hand to Edelgard and she grabbed it, avoiding to have to do it with Sylvain though smiling to him as they left the room. He hand on the back of Hubert’s hand, she looked around and then came back to Byleth who was standing next to Rhea. Which starred Hubert.

“Thank you for coming and caring for our classmate,” Edelgard said. “Hubert had been pretty surprised when he saw what happened to Ferdinand. We had to face death, provoke it, but we didn’t saw it happen to our friends…” she explained.

“Comprehensible,” Byleth replied.

“Comprehensible, indeed,” Rhea said. “It doesn’t change the fact you owe some apologies to someone.”

“You are right,” Hubert replied. He turned his head toward Edelgard, deeply bowing. “My apologies, Lady Edelgard. I should have pursued to take care of yourself or taking care of our comrades.”

Sylvain pinched his lips. In his opinion taking care of the one loving her as much and that could end up with her, it was important too… but he couldn’t betray Ferdinand’s secret.

“You’re excused, Hubert. Professor, thank you for having taking care of Ferdinand with us. Lady Rhea.”

And on those words she glanced at Hubert. It was enough for them to move away together and left the upper area of the Monastery.

Hubert felt he will regret this, Edelgard felt they will regret this but on the other hand… it was so relieving.

And Hubert had to protect Ferdinand from this witch… He wouldn’t let her slide even one droplets of her vices in his perfect veins.

But… She wouldn’t have to try it without him.

“That day…”

Edelgard watched him.

“_That_ day?”

He nodded. “He thinks it’s his fault if I’m like I am today. He is wrong… It was my fault. He just wanted friends…”

“He had frightened me and you tried to protect me.”

“You would have accepted him without me,” he replied. “And today… lack of blood, without apparent wounds. I did this to me. I did this to _him_.” He closed his eyes. “I won’t see him anymore.”


	8. Bring to Light

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank y'all for the support for those chapters!! It warmed my heart!!!!  
Merry Christmas y'all!!!!!  
Be careful on the road!!!

As the days passed, the students got the chance, or the bad chance, to receive their monthly mission. But Hubert didn’t care. Whatever they wanted… The only thing in his mind was Ferdinand. He was sleeping most of the time. Manuela said he woke up here and there and she could make him eat to help him recreate more blood quicker but it was rare and Hubert never had been there. And he could be there very often. He didn’t need to sleep, to eat… He was just there, by the side of the bed, doing his homework but mostly looking him and begging to see the beautiful and tender color of his eyes…

People would talk about it.

It would be even less difficult to convince everybody he wasn’t in love with Ferdinand… but as long they said nothing…

The only one who could was actually Caspar, by error. Dorothea if she thought this could actually annoy Ferdinand. But she seemed to valuate him enough not to say a thing about this to the son of Aegir…

Now, he just had to keep Ferdinand away from Caspar.

The rest…

Easy. Petra wouldn’t care, Bernadetta talked with no one and Linhardt was always asleep and if for once he wasn’t… a shovel would help him to go back to sleep…

But maybe… being here was a mistake per se… because Ferdinand could wake up and seeing him by his side and also because… the smell of his blood, so delightful… it was making him mad of desire… if he could bite…

However, one of the reason he was there was that he could control how he was doing. His pulse was going better day after day…

And when he felt it becoming too fast because of bad dreams, he could ease him… Caress his hairs? Brush his cheeks? Whisper soft words…

He came at night too…

No one could stop him…

No one could prevent him for taking care of him. He was his life, he was his death, he was his everything… Sometimes, when he was trying to ease him, caressing his soft hairs, he wanted to kiss his lips slightly open… Sometimes, like now, as he was on his side, glancing at him each time he was done with a part of his homework, he wished he could steal him a kiss. Sliding his feelings within him just one time before he had to destroy his heart, their heart, for his own good…

He couldn’t lose him because he was a Beast thirsty, greedy, for blood.

He didn’t deserve his treasure…

Hubert moved his hand to put back a lock when he saw eyelids blinking. His hand froze. He didn’t know what to do… Ferdinand would realize…

Yet, he tried his luck and moved backward his hand.

“Hubert?”

“Yes.”

“I’m glad to see you,” Ferdinand said without chancing upon it. “Ugh… not like that!” he added quickly, realizing what he was looking like…

Hubert wanted to smile and he did his best to keep looking as stern and closed as always.

“You know why you are here?”

Ferdinand nodded as he sat in the bed. He tried to fix his hairs that must be really messy… and what about his eyebrows? His breath…

If only he knew how much Hubert thought him perfect anyway…

“Miss Manuela said I was lacking of blood, being exactly at the edge of the death…”

Hubert stayed silent, looking him.

“She didn’t understand how I have lost everything,” Ferdinand added, touching the two dots on his neck.

“I do.”

“Me too,” Ferdinand said with a little smile. “I’m doing alright.”

“Alright? It has been days,” Hubert replied, getting up. “And you’re still pale.”

“I will eat much more and…”

“You don’t understand,” Hubert cut short. “You’re useless if I can’t feed on you.”

Ferdinand’s eyes widened.

“I will wait for you to feel better and then, only feed on you once a week. Less if you can’t keep the cadency.”

“I can be better,” Ferdinand said. “I will be better. Trust me, I’m Ferdinand Von…”

“Dead. You will be Ferdinand Von Dead if you pursue and as I said, this will annoy me a lot. Now, please, considering the debt you owe me, don’t die being a fool.”

Hubert swirled on his heels and walked toward the door.

“Wait!”

Ferdinand pushed away the blankets and moved outside of the bed. He almost felt.

Stumbling on the air, he would have felt if two arms hadn’t caught him. Arms he didn’t want to leave. He clenched at Hubert’s neck.

“I can do it.”

“You can’t do everything you want just screaming your name.”

Ferdinand’s hands were shaking on his nape. Hubert’s dead heart was shattering.

“We will see again, isn’t it?”

“In class.”

“We are friends so…”

“No.”

Hubert took his hands and pushed him away, letting him slide on the floor.

“You have your debt, I want your blood, that’s the only thing.”

“Hubert…”

Ferdinand’s eyes were fogged with tears.

Hubert could have died. He needed to leave. Now…

But how could he… Ferdinand was about to cry and if he still looked beautiful to him, it was so awful to see…

“Hubert, please. I just want to be your friend. I just…”

“I don’t want to be your friend,” Hubert replied.

“You…”

“Why wouldn’t you go see Sylvain? He cares for you.”

“He is not my friend…” Ferdinand said.

“That’s your problem. You expect what you want from people and then you’re disappointed because you don’t have what you wanted…”

“We had good discussion… It was nothing for you?”

Hubert approached him and knelt by his side. “Ferdinand Von Aegir…” Pushing him back, protecting him with hate… that was what he had to do. “You’re ugly when you cry…”

Ferdinand wanted to yell. Wanted to yell he could _die_ for him. Especially if he could be in his arms. Just for a few seconds…

Instead, he grabbed Hubert’s shirt, the only thing he was wearing, having taking away his uniform vest. He was crying… he was crying on him, his cheek pressing against his chest, tears rolling on the white fabric as he was sobbing.

Hubert found himself holding him. He had to push him back, find the words, make this stop…

His fingers slid along the golden locks in a ruffle shape.

“And you’re hairs are turning longer, you should cut them, it’s not what the Nobility want.”

“You said you preferred them longer…”

“You…” Hubert moved his hands, taking his face in them slowly, his thumbs rubbing slowly, chasing the tears. “You let them grow… for me?”

Ferdinand nodded.

He had a shiver when he felt a kiss on his forehead. “Step away from me, Ferdinand. I will kill you. I can’t… resist you. The smell of your blood, the sound of your heartbeat…I could kill you…”

“Is that why you’re pushing me away? Because… you’re holding me so I suppose… you’re not hating me as much as you pretend…”

What if Dorothea told him? What if Caspar told him?

What if telling it to him would make him run away…

What if telling it to him was the only way to protect him?

Ferdinand wanted to be his _friend _so…

“Would you allow me to carry you somewhere?”

Ferdinand nodded. Hubert raised up and took him in his arms, letting him pass his owns arms around his shoulders. Then, he left the infirmary, bringing him in the dormitory. Ferdinand was still crying. Less… but sometimes, Hubert could see a tear rolling along the lovely cheek…with a bit of chance, they will disappear soon. But he didn’t know if it was for the best or for the worst…

They arrived in their part of the dormitory and Hubert walked to his room, installing Ferdinand on his bed.

“How… have you noticed?” he whispered. “About my hairs… They must haven’t grow enough yet…”

What was the best reply? The fact he was a Vampire or the fact he was so obsessed by him…

He didn’t reply at this, in doubt. But he opened a drawer of his chest of drawer.

“Hubert?” Ferdinand whispered.

The Vampire took something in the cupboard and came to him. He put a knee in the floor and held out something in his hand. Something tiny…

Ferdinand’s eyes widened and he moved his fingers to touch slightly his hairs.

“That… That’s mine?” he hiccupped. “That’s my ribbon. I thought… I thought I had lost it…”

“That day.”

“That day…” Ferdinand could barely breathe. “Why have you kept it?”

“When I saw you… Something changed in me. You were so shy and I can hear how sorry you were. The servants said you kept asking how I was doing… I started to… Hm… this is annoying.”

“Tell it to me, please…”

“Stalking you…” Hubert looked down. “I discovered so many things about you. I still ignore a lot of them but I knew you were precious. And I kept this ribbon because… it was a part of you. That day is my favorite day… You have no debt, I’m your debtor for every time you allowed me to look at you, for this blood, for everything you did, even when you didn’t know it.”

“You…”

Ferdinand was looking him.

Hubert gulped. He was hating him. This was the best, this was the worst…

“You tried to push me back… to protect me. Even if you had to lose me?”

Hubert didn’t reply, didn’t move. He wanted this stake to be dig in his heart now…

“Is it true you are afraid to be unable to resist to the thirst? “

“I am… When I see the state you were in.”

“Perhaps you weren’t the only one in fault,” Ferdinand said, whipping his tears. “I kept offering you my blood because I cared for you but also because I wanted to be with you.”

Hubert looked up at him.

“That day… my mother told me I had to do friends and, you and Edelgard, you seemed so lonely, just like me. I… I cared about your devotion for someone, and I felt like it was my fault… And later… my father hated the fact I still cared for you.” Ferdinand struggled to talk between his sobs and tears. “For so long, I believed maybe all of this was a vengeance against him. But I like you. I love you.”

Hubert’s heart could have started to beat just for skipping a bit after…

“Ferdinand…”

Hubert slid the ribbon in the fingers and he took softly the hand to kiss it.

“There… there is no debt. I offered you to be your pantry because I felt responsible and I wanted you to be happy. I wanted to be with you.”

Hubert kissed his fingers softly.

“My devotion has no limits. I am yours. A word and I will do.”

Ferdinand’s heart stopped beating one long second, a soft smile on his lips.

“And what do you want from me?” he asked.

“Accept my undying devotion for Lady Edelgard? It is different from the one I have for you but I can’t deny it. Even for you,” he muttered before kissing the inside of the wrist.

“I was… jealous of her. Because she has your attention. However, I accept it. As long as I know I can enjoy your embrace when we’re alone.”

“Know it, Ferdinand. She even would ask me to embrace you if you start pouting,” he smirked. “She knows my feelings for so long and wished this for me.”

Ferdinand smiled. “I have to offer her something, in this case.” He took Hubert’s hand and put back the ribbon in his palm. “You can keep it,” he said with a soft tone.

“I will. Until our last breath,” he swore before raising to sit next to him and…

Embrace him in a hesitant arm, making him smile softly.


End file.
